Revelation 20:4

Revelation 20:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
• New International Version (NIV)I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

Context of Revelation 20:4

2He took hold of the dragon. That dragon is the Devil and Satan. He is the snake who has lived since long ago. The angel tied up the dragon with the chain for 1,000 years. 3Then he threw the dragon into the deep hole. He closed the door to the deep hole, and he locked it with the key. He put a seal on the door. During that time, Satan could no longer deceive the people of all nations. But after the 1,000 years have finished, he must go free for a short time. Then I saw some thrones, and I saw people who were sitting on them. These people had received authority to judge other people. I also saw the souls of people who had died because they served Jesus. People had cut off their heads because they had told the truth about Jesus, and they had spoken God's message. These believers had not worshipped the wild animal or his image. They had not received the wild animal's mark on their heads or on their hands. Now they became alive again. They ruled as kings together with Christ for 1,000 years. 5(But all the other dead people did not become alive again until the 1,000 years had finished.) This is the first time that God raises up dead people to become alive again. 6God has blessed those people that he raises up that first time. They belong to God as his holy people. The second death has no power over them. Instead, they will be priests who serve God and Christ. They will rule as kings with him for 1,000 years.

Revelation 20:4 word by word

Καὶ εἶδον θρόνους, καὶ ἐκάθισαν ἐπ᾽ αὐτούς, καὶ κρίμα ἐδόθη αὐτοῖς, καὶ τὰς ψυχὰς τῶν πεπελεκισμένων διὰ τὴν μαρτυρίαν Ἰησοῦ καὶ διὰ τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ, καὶ οἵτινες οὐ προσεκύνησαν τὸ θηρίον οὐδὲ τὴν εἰκόνα αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐκ ἔλαβον τὸ χάραγμα ἐπὶ τὸ μέτωπον καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν χεῖρα αὐτῶν, καὶ ἔζησαν καὶ ἐβασίλευσαν μετὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ χίλια ἔτη.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• I sawὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
• thronesθρόνοςthronos · throneG2362
• they satκαθίζωkathizō · to seatG2523
• uponἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• judgmentκρίμαkrima · judgmentG2917
• was givenδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
• the soulsὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the soulsψυχήpsuchē · soulG5590
• that were beheadedπελεκίζωpelekizō · to beheadG3990
• forδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• the witnessμαρτυρίαmarturia · testimonyG3141
• of JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• the wordλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• whichὅστιςhostis hētis ho6ti · who/whichG3748
• hadπροσκυνέωproskuneō · to worshipG4352
• notοὐou · noG3756
• the beastθηρίονthērion · wild animalG2342
• neitherοὔτεoute · neitherG3777
• imageεἰκώνeikōn · imageG1504
• had receivedλαμβάνωlambanō · to takeG2983
• markχάραγμαcharagma · image/markG5480
• foreheadsμέτωπονmetopon · foreheadG3359
• handsχείρcheir · handG5495
• they livedζάωzaō · to liveG2198
• reignedβασιλεύωbasileuō · to reignG936
• withμετάmeta · with/afterG3326
• ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
• a thousandχίλιοιchilioi · thousandG5507
• yearsἔτοςetos · yearG2094

Cross-references for Revelation 20:4

• Daniel 7:9While I looked, people put some thrones in their places. Then the God who has ruled for ever sat on his throne. His clothes were as white as snow. His hair was white like pure wool. His throne and the wheels under it burned with flames of fire.
• Matthew 19:28Jesus said to his disciples, ‘I tell you this: One day God will cause all things to become new. I, the Son of Man, will sit on my great throne as King and I will rule that new world. You who are my disciples will also sit like kings on thrones. You will judge the people of the 12 tribes of Israel.
• Luke 22:30In my kingdom you will sit at my table. You will eat and drink with me. You will sit like kings on thrones. You will judge the people of the 12 tribes of Israel.’
• 1 Corinthians 6:2It is God's people who will judge all the people in the world one day. You surely know that. Since that is true, you should be able to decide about small quarrels between yourselves.
• Revelation 6:9Then the Lamb opened the fifth seal. I saw an altar where people offered gifts to God. I saw the souls of some of God's people under the altar. These people had died because they had believed God's message. They had continued to speak the true message about Jesus Christ. That is why people had killed them.
• Malachi 4:5Look! I will send my prophet Elijah to you. He will come before that great day of the Lord arrives. That will be a day that makes people afraid.
• Matthew 17:10Then the three disciples said to Jesus, ‘The teachers of God's Law say that God's prophet Elijah must return first, before the Messiah comes. Why do they say this?’
• Mark 9:11Then the three disciples asked Jesus, ‘Why do the teachers of God's Law say that God's prophet Elijah must return first, before the Messiah comes?’
• Luke 1:17John will prepare the people for the Lord to come to them. The Holy Spirit will lead John as he led Elijah. John will do powerful things as Elijah did. He will help fathers to love their children. He will teach people who do not obey God. Then they will know what things are right. And they will do them. Then they will be ready when the Lord comes.’
• Luke 9:7People told the ruler, Herod, about all the things that were happening. His mind was confused because people were saying lots of different things about Jesus. Some people were saying, ‘John the Baptist died but now he has become alive again.’
• Matthew 24:10At that time, many people who believe in me will stop believing. They will put some of my disciples in the power of their rulers. They will hate each other.
• Mark 6:16But when someone told Herod, he said, ‘This man is surely John. I sent a soldier to cut off his head. But he has become alive again!’
• Luke 9:9Herod said, ‘I sent a soldier to cut off John's head. So who is this man? I hear many things about him.’ After that, Herod was trying to meet Jesus.
• Revelation 1:9I am John. I am a believer, as you are. I am like your brother and your friend. Because we belong to Jesus' kingdom, we are having trouble and pain. So we all need to be strong and patient, as Jesus helps us. The Roman leaders punished me because I taught God's message. I told people the true message about Jesus. That is why they sent me to Patmos island.
• Revelation 11:3I will give authority to my two servants who speak my message clearly. They will tell people my messages for 1,260 days. They will wear rough clothes made from goats' hair.’
• Revelation 12:11Our brothers and sisters fought against him and they won. They could do this because of the death of the Lamb as a sacrifice. They continued to speak God's true message. They were also ready to die as God's servants. That is why they were able to win against Satan.

Commentaries on Revelation 20:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4I saw thrones - Christianity established in the earth, the kings and governors being all Christians. Reigned with Christ a thousand years - I am satisfied that this period should not be taken literally. It may signify that there shall be a long and undisturbed state of Christianity; and so universally shall the Gospel spirit prevail, that it will appear as if Christ reigned upon earth; which will in effect be the case, because his Spirit shall rule in the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4And I saw thrones - ́ thronousSee Revelation 1:4; Revelation 3:21; Revelation 4:3-4. John here simply says, that he saw in vision thrones, with persons sitting on them, but without intreating who they were that sat on them. It is not the throne of God that is now revealed, for the word is in the plural number, though the writer does not hint how “many” thrones there were. It is intimated, however, that these thrones were placed with some reference to…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-6Verses 4-6 Here is an account of the reign of the saints, for the same space of time as Satan is bound. Those who suffer with Christ, shall reign with him in his spiritual and heavenly kingdom, in conformity to him in his wisdom, righteousness, and holiness: this is called the first resurrection, with which none but those who serve Christ, and suffer for him, shall be favoured. The happiness of these servants of God is declared. None can be blessed but…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4thrones, and those seated on them: This image of a heavenly court includes the elders (Revelation 4:4) on thrones (see Daniel 7:9–10), the victorious martyrs (see Daniel 7:22), and all of God's people. beheaded for … Jesus: Beheading was a common execution method for Roman citizens. The faithful who refused the mark of the beast (Revelation 13:16–17) will judge the condemned (see 1 Corinthians 6:2–3) on thrones like those of the worshiping elders (see…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4-54-5. they sat--the twelve apostles, and the saints in general. judgment was given unto there--(See on Da 7:22). The office of judging was given to them. Though in one sense having to stand before the judgment-seat of Christ, yet in another sense they "do not come into judgment (Greek), but have already passed from death unto life." souls--This term is made a plea for denying the literality of the first resurrection, as if the resurrection were the…Read the comment

Topics related to Revelation 20:4

• Animals
• Beheading
• Church
• Jesus Continued
• Millennium
• Persecution
• Resurrection
• Righteous
• Vision
• Year

In the dictionaries

• Christ
• God
• Jesus
• Christ, Messiah
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Word of God
• Forehead
• Millennium
• Seal

Commentaries on Revelation 20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings